BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Western Kentucky right-hander Matt Ridings tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, and tossed his first complete game of the season to lead the Hilltoppers to a 13-3 win over University of South Alabama baseball Friday night at Nick Denes Field.
Ridings (7-0) allowed three runs and pitched six shutout innings, while allowing six hits without issuing a walk.
Jaguar right-hander D.D. Hanks (7-2) suffered the loss in 1.1 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits while striking out one and issuing one walk. USA relievers Jake LeBlanc, Shane LeBlanc, Dustin Crenshaw and Kyle Dees combined to hold Western Kentucky scoreless for the final five innings.
WKU catcher Matt Rice went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Hilltoppers at the plate. Designated hitter Ryan Huck went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and five RBI and one run scored. Rice, Matt Payton and Kes Carter each collected three hits in the game.
South Alabama third baseman Jake Overstreet went 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead the Jaguars at the plate.
USA jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Overstreet's RBI single to right-center field to score Adam Heisler, who led off the game with a single up the middle and stole second to move into scoring position.
WKU (25-7, 8-2 SBC) answered to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning with three runs on two hits. Rice delivered an RBI single to score Payton, who reached base on an error. Later in the inning, Huck hit a two-run double down the left field line to score Jared Andreoli and Rice, who reached on a walk and single, respectively, earlier in the inning.
The Hilltoppers added seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 10-1 lead. Payton tripled to center field to score Jake Wells and Logan Robbins who reached on singles earlier in the inning. Casey Dykes followed with a single to score Payton and push the WKU lead to 6-1. Rice then doubled to center field to score Dykes, before Huck delivered a three-run home run to right-center field.
Brandon Brown led off the top of the third inning with a home run to left field to cut the Hilltopper lead to 10-2.
WKU extended its lead to 13-2 with three runs on three hits, highlighted by a solo home run to right field by Rice, an RBI triple by Payton, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Dykes.
The Jags added their final run in the top of the seventh inning when Sean Laird scored on a wild pitch after doubling to left-center field to lead off the inning.
"D.D. [Hanks] didn't have his good stuff tonight," USA head coach Steve Kittrell said. "Their seven-run inning just took us out of the game. [Matt] Ridings had three pitches for strikes and kept us off balance. He threw a good fastball in the 91-range and had a good curve and change-up. He pitched really well tonight. I was anxious to see D.D. and Ridings at their best - I think it would have been a heck of a game. But they beat us, and we just have to come back tomorrow."
USA (22-12, 10-3 SBC) returns to action Saturday, when it continues its three-game set with Western Kentucky at 3 p.m.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
- USA -
NOTES: Laird doubled in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, and extended his hitting streak in SBC games to 12 games ... USA catcher Brent Tanner went hitless and did not reach base, ending his on-base streak at 29 games and snapping an eight-game hit streak ... USA fell to 76-47 all-time against Western Kentucky.
